I help at quite a few church events where serving teas, coffees and food are involved. I find that I am washing quite a few tea towels but to me this isn’t an arduous chore. When I’m ironing them, it gives me time to study them and there are so many different ones. There’s Christmas ones, advertising ones, pictures of nature, geographical ones and loads of just interesting pictures. Some are very appropriate with teapots and cupcakes. I’ve just ironed one with a Kitchen Prayer. It’s quite old fashioned with “thy and thee” being used. It says:

Bless my kitchen, Lord, I pray,

Let it sparkle every day

With the radiance of thy light-

Turn my chores into delight.

Let it come to pass that bread

Rises with a crusty head;

Leavened with a yeast divine

Into loaves with taste sublime.

The heavenly meals we daily eat

With thy grace are made more sweet.

As we at our table sup

We thank thee, Lord, for the brimming cup.

So dear Lord, my kitchen bless;

Forgive its oft unholy mess,

I’ll strive to improve from hereafter

True to the spirit of good St. Martha.

I’m not sure who wrote this as the print is really faded but the tea towel was designed in Australia.

Even though the print has faded from numerous washings it still serves a purpose. When I decide that a tea towel is no longer fit for purpose it becomes e.g. a wash cloth for outdoor furniture or for polishing windows. It is repurposed. 

Dear Lord, help us to repurpose our lives for your service when we are no longer able to continue what we are doing now.